Chan Chan, Peru

Chan Chan, Peru

Chan Chan, Peru

If Machu Picchu -- one of the most famous archeological sites in the world -- had remained undiscovered, people would still flock to Peru to see another site, Chan Chan. Unfortunately, it continues to be overshadowed by the famed Lost City of the Incas. Estimated to have once housed 30,000 people of the Chimor civilization from A.D. 850 until 1470, the massive adobe city sits on 12 square miles along the Peruvian coast near the city of Trujillo, and is the largest pre-Columbian city in South America. Intricate carvings of birds, turtles and fish adorn the walls of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is threatened by erosion. So it's not only underrated, but it's also slowly disappearing.